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VI-MINING AFFAIRS.
MR. AUSTIN'S BOOK.
"The Mines of South Australia." is the
title of a very useful little book now publishing
for Mr. J. B. Austin. proof-sheets of which have
been politely sent us. We believe that 200 or
300 copies of the work will go home by the pre-
sent mail, but the bulk of the edition (3,000
copies) will not be ready for a few days. The
work is dedicated to Sir Dominick Daly, and
prefixed is a very respectable list of subscribers,
including the names of all the principal mining
companies in the colony, as also those of the
Ministry, members of Parliament, bankers,
merchants, and colonists of all classes and
orders. Upwards of 1,200 copies were sub-
scribed for before the work was in type, and we
have no doubt the whole edition—though some
what large for a small community like ours—will
soon be disposed of.
The vast importance of the mining interest in
South Australia, the large number of persons en-
gaged in mineral pursuits, and the eagerness with
which all classes rush into speculation instantly

upon the announcement that copper ore is dis-
covered, furnish sufficient reasons why such a
book as Mr. Austin's was wanted. That there
is room for a publication of the kind may be
gathered from the fact (referred to by the author)
that no detailed account of the mines of South
Australia has been published since Mr. F. S.
Dutton published his, now 17 years ago. At that
time the total mines opened were eleven, eight
copper and three lead; whereas during the three
years ending December 31,1862, no fewer than
1,576 distinct applications for mineral claims had
been lodged with the Government. It is in fact
only on account of the long and wearisome jour-
neys necessary to, and the time and cost insepa-
rable from a personal inspection of the mines of
the colony, that this desideratum has not been
long since supplied. Mr. Austin, however, has
with much zeal and perseverance devoted him-
self to the task of personally visiting and
examining the mines he describes, and in so
doing has ridden some 1,800 miles on horseback,
his fare being frequently rather hard than sump-
tuous.
Mr. Austin's book is not a scientific one; it
does not profess to be a hand-book for mineralo-
gists, although the writer shows that he is by
no means unacquainted with the various appear-
ances of the metalliferous rocks and strata. Dis-
claiming the intention to discuss geological
questions, Mr. Austin modestly refers to the
Rev. Julian Woods's work, and contents himself
with hoping that his own book—so far as its
bearings upon science are concerned —"may
prove in an humble degree a not inappropriate
sequel" to that valuable production. And whilst,
on the one hand, Mr. Austin disclaims the idea of
having written a handbook on mineralogy, so on
the other he disavows writing a guide to capitalists
and investors. On this point he says—" While,
in many instances, the descriptions I have given
will serve as a guide to persons desirous of
investing in the mines, the book has not been
written with that view, and those who think of
investing should satisfy themselves by other
means of the eligibility of anything that may be
offered to their notice."
Mr. Austin, so far as we are aware, has no
personal interest in any of the mines of South
Australia, so that his descriptions cannot be
suspected of a sinister leaning either in favor of
or against any particular property. We have
reason to know that he has been at great pains
to collect information, and of his fidelity to what
he considers the truth we are fully satisfied.
Should he have erred in judgment with regard
to any particular mine, or have been misinformed
in relation to matters of fact, no doubt the
ordeal of criticism through which a book so
widely circulated must pass, will bring such
errors to light. We believe, however, that the
work is not only a faithful, but an accurate
description.
In an introductory chapter, Mr. Austin refers
to "The New Burra Burra Mine," the flaming
prospectus relative to which (as put forth ia
London) created so much stir in this colony. As
our readers are aware this paper was the first to
call attention to the monstrous bubble, and Mr.
Austin's remarks fully bear out our own obser-
vations made during his absence in the North.
He says—" I confess when I read the prospectus
and the accompanying 'reports' I thought the
exaggerations so palpable, that it was a matter of
surprise how any one could have been deceived
by them. The idea of courses of ore 70 yards
wide is something so very extraordinary, not to
say unlikely, that it is astonishing that persons
of any sense were so easily duped into believing
the statement; and especially when nothing was
known of the mine in the colony, except by a
favored few—Messrs. Cave & Co.—and who
Messrs. Cave & Co. are does not very clearly
appear. Mr. Cave is said to be a young
man who was shepherding or stock-keeping for
the Messrs. Chambers, and the Co. is supposed
to be Mr. G. Francis, of Gawler, a man of
rather higher attainments in geological know-
ledge than his partner. Mr. Francis has
lately written to the public papers here since
the bubble has been exposed, repudiating the
course pursued in reference to this mine in
England. I must confess that prior to my de-
parture on my tour through the Northern
Mines, I had heard nothing of the 'New Burra
Burra;' it is true I had provided myself with a
list of mineral claims from the Land Office, and
in that list there were three applications in the
name of Cave, the claims being held 'under
right of search.' When I arrived in the Far
North, I was asked on two or three occasions if
I had seen the mine, and on my replying in the
negative, and stating at the same time my inten-
tion to visit it, I was invariably met by a laugh,
And was told that I might spare myself the
trouble, for there was nothing to be seen. Sub-
sequent enquiries resulted in the receipt of
similar replies." Mr. Austin proceeds to state
that he wrote to Mr. Francis, offering to go
with him to visit the New Burra Burra, but no
reply was vouchsafed; and the New Burra
Burra remains to this day utterly discredited in
South Australia.
We have not counted the exact number of
mines described in the work before us, but we
should say about 70. Mr. Austin begins with
the Kapunda Mines, proceeding thence to the
Karkulto and the Burra Burra, thence by way
of Mount Remarkable to the Yudanamutana
and the Far North. Each mine is described in
separate chapter, or section, the whole being a
pleasingly interspersed with sketches of native
scenery and numerous little incidents of travel.
We now give a few extracts :—
" Kapunda Mine.—The last return shows
the number of hands employed as follows:—
Men. Boys.
Officers, agents, clerks, overseers 8 —
Engineers, enginemen, stokers _ ... 10 —
Pitmen, timbermen, tutworks, &c. _ 43 —
Til uters (raising ore) ... .. ... 103 23
Tradesmen, carters, laborers, kibble-fillers 82 13
Smelters and furnacemen ... ... ... 36 —
Masons (2). laborers, smiths, &c. „ „. 17 —
Total men ... 302 36
*Besides a large number of woodcutters, carters,
and others who are completely dependent upon
the mine for their means of subsistence.
All the ores raised are now reduced to fine
copper before shipment; 595 tons were shipped
in 1861. The expenditure during the year being
£48,300; the greater portion of which is circu-
lated on the spot for wages, fuel, &c. £8,713
was paid for fuel for the smelting works alone;
timber being alone used.'
" The entire quantity of ore raised from the
commencement to tbe close of the year 1862,
was 33,230 tons of 21 cwt, and of an average
produce of nearly 20 per cent. The quantity
raised during the past year was 2,940 tons, of an
average of 16½ per cent. The quantity of fine
copper made during the year 1863, was 436 tons
12 cwt.
" Tbe total value of the ore raised from this
mine has been above half a million sterling.
The Kapunda Mine has been worked, on the
whole, carefully and economically, and but little
of the produce has beeu lost, which it would
have been possible to save with the appliances
at command. However, as the depth of the
workings increases, and the average percentage
of the ore becomes less, it will be necessary to
employ new and improved machinery for dress-
ing the ores of lower percentage than it has
hitherto been thought worth while to deal with ;
and this course, I am informed, is about to be
adopted, the manager of the mine having
recently paid a visit to the Bremer Mine to
inspect the machinery in use there, that mine
being decidedly the most economically and
thoroughly worked of any in the colony.
" The ores comprise ahnost every variety, as
yellow ore, or pyrites, blue and green carbonates,
muriates, grey and black sulphurets, oxides,
bell-metal and peacock ores, and native copper,
or malleable. The percentage also varies much,
from 66 downwards."
" The Burra Burra Mine was discovered by
a shepherd named Pickitt in 1845, and in order
to secure the fee simple of mineral land it
became necessary to purchase a special survey
of 20,000 acres; paying the Government for the
same in specie. The survey was taken on
August 16tb, by Messrs. C. H. Bagot, and G. F.
Aston, on behalf of themselves and others, after-
wards called the Princess Royal Mining
Company, and by Messrs. William Allen and
Samuel Stocks, Jun., for themselves and others,
who afterwards became incorporated with the
South Australian Mining Association, which
name is still borne by the Burra Burra Company.
These two parties were called repectively the
' nobs' and the ' snob,' the former represent
ing the ' aristocracy' of the colony, and the
latter the merchants and tradespeople. The
nobs were unwilling to combine with the snobs
in a joint stock company for carrying on the
Mine, and therefore although they united to
purchase the ground,—as neither party could
unaided, raise the hard cash - as soon as the
survey was completed, the land was divided,

by drawing a line through the centre from
east to west. Lots were then drawn for the
land, and the 'snobs' became the fortunate
proprietors of the northern portion of the survey,
and on which the Burra Mine existed. The
Princess Royal properly was ultimately sold for
pastoral purposes at 18s. an acre.
The first shot was fired on the 29th September,
1845, blasting a large mass of rich ore, and in a
short time several drays were loaded for. the
Port. The workings were carried on with vigor,
and the produce of the mine surpassed the most
sanguine expectations entertained on ite dis
covery. The original working capital of the
company was only £1.500; but with a mine so
rich and so easily worked that amount proved
sufficient, until the sale of ore increased the
funds available for working expenses. During
the first six yean of the history of the Burra
nearly 80.000 tons of exceedingly rich ore were
raised and shipped to England, yielding a profit
to the Company of £438,552; a pretty good
result from an original outlay of £10,000
for the land. At the close of the first six
years since the opening of the mine; the num-
ber of hands employed was upwards of 1,000;
but at this time the newly discovered gold-fields
in Victoria attracted a large proportion of our
population, and especially the miners, who left
in such numbers that only 100 were left at the
Burra —the Kapunda Mine suffering in like
manner; indeed, I believe at one time only five
or six men remained at Kapunda, including the
captain. The yield of ore has
ranged for many years, from 10,000 tons to
13,000 tons a year, the produce of the ore giving
an average of from 22 to 23 per cent, of copper,
or. about 2,500 tons of pure copper, when
smelted, and yielding to the colony an average
annual amount of at least £225,000. The total
amount expended in the colony by the Burra
Company, up to the present time, is about
£1,700,000. of which upwards of £1,000,000 has
been paid in wages. The gross profits amount
to £850,080. of which £714,560 have been
divided among the shareholders, and £135,520
added to the capital stock, while £10,560
remained undivided.
"WHEAL BLINMAN AND YUDANAMUTANA
Mines.—Up to the close of 1832 above 690 tons
of ore of all qualities were raised here, 400 of
which were estimated to yield an average pro-
duce of 40 percent A fine block of this value,
and weighing about 2½ tons, had been sent to
Port Augusta for shipment. The country was
very dry, a well having been sank 20 fathoms in
the bed of the creek without cutting water.
There are, nevertheless, some fine springs in the
immediate neighbourhood. A number of sub-
stantial pine huts for the miners have been
erected on the mine, besides a good store of
galvanized iron with a cellar beneath, also offices
and captains' apartments. The distance of this
mine from Port Augusta, by the present road, is
about 140 miles, but a new road has been cut
through the Brachina Creek, and by which a
saving of about 20 miles would be effected, and
a better road secured for feed and water for
cattle. The rate of cartage paid has been from
£4 10s. to £5 per ton, but should the season con-
tinue favorable, and feed be plentiful, it will
probably be much lower shortly."
" The total quantity of ore raised at the Blinman
and Yudanamutana together, is estimated at
2,400 tons, and this has been accomplished by less
than 80 men and boys in little more than
seven months, in addition to a great deal of pre-
liminary work, such as building huts, sinking
wells, &c. Six hundred and thirty-eight tons of
ore, averaging at least 40 per cent, produce,
had been carted from both mines up to 22nd
January, and 514 tons shipped at Port Augusta.
Nine hundred tons are at grass at the Yudana-
mutana Mine, of which 300 tons are estimated
to produce 60 per cent, of copper, aud the
remainder above 25 per cent. Nearly the same
quantity is at the Wheal Blinman, and is thus
classed: —above 60 tons about 50 per cent.; 500
tons 25 per cent., and 300 tons 15 per cent."
The Moonta. Mines.—There are four distinct
lodes on these mines, all nearly parallel, within
a space of half a mile, aud running about north
and south. The first discovery of ore here was
made about two years since, when a quantity
of small stones of green carbonate was found
on the surface. Some holes were sunk, and a
lode of fine ore cut at a small depth. This
lode was named after one of the proprietors,
Taylor's lode. Four shafts have since been sunk
on it, and named after proprietors; Elder's, the
deepest, is now 30 fathoms, and Smith's, Water-
house's, and Taylor's, 20 fathoms each. A house
for an engine of 60-inch cylinder is now in
course of erection here for the purpose of pump-
ing the mine. In the drives from Smith's shaft
a fine lode of yellow ore, from 18 inches to 2 feet
wide, is being worked at the 20-fathom level.
The lode is 4½ feet wide in Elder's shaft, in which
shaft; at the 10-fathom level, a splendid lode of
rich black ore, largely mixed with malleable
copper, has yielded great quantities of ore; at
one time it was being hauled up at the rate of
20 tons a day. From the drives from Taylor's
shaft a quantity of rich ore has been raised,
consisting of black and grey sulphurets, red
oxide, and malleable copper.
" The drives on the lode extend altogether for
a length of about 350 fathoms at the 10 fathom
levels, and for 250 fathoms at a depth of 20.
" Two other lodes. Young's and MacDonnell's
—the latter named after our late Governor—have
produced ore of a higher percentage than that
from the other parts of these Mines ; it is grey
sulphuret, some of which has given, on assay,
66 per cent, of fine copper, and the average of
the lodes is estimated at nearly 60 per cent.
Both lodes have been driven on for a consider-
able distance at the 10-fathom levels, Young's
being 6 feet wide, and MacDonnell's varying from
6 inches' to 12 feet, but averaging a less width
than Young's. At Buchan's Shaft a large
deposit of malleable copper and rich black ore
was met with, and some beautiful specimens of
native dendritic and foliated copper were found
both here and on Taylor's lode. Buchan's Shaft
has been lately sunk to 20 fathoms, and a fine
lode of black and yellow ore cut.
"The buildings on this mine are large and
substantial, and besides offices, stables, &c, com-
prise a complete and well-furnished assay office,
under the management of Capt. R. H. Hancock,
a scientific gentleman who came to this colony a
few years since to superintend the Wheal Ellen
Mine.
" The wonderful richness of these mines will
be seen from the following approximate return
of ore raised during 20 months, since the com-
mencement of the workings, viz., 8,000 tons of
ore averaging nearly 25 percent, of pure copper,
and which has been raised at such a compara-
tively small cost as to enable two dividends of
£10 per share each (together £64,000) to be
declared on 1st October last and 25th February
this year."
The above extracts are given merely as speci-
mens of Mr. Austin's mode of treating his sub-
ject; other mines, including the mines in the
South-East, and the silver lead mines in the
South, are described with corresponding minute-
ness and care, but it would be inconvenient to
extend our quotations further. There is an in-
teresting chapter on the Smelting works of the
province, including an account of the great
Wallaroo works, and a description of Mr. Rodda's
process of economically reducing low quality
ores. There are also observations on the ques-
tion of mining railways in the north, of mining
labor generally, of mineral regulations, and on
many matters directly or indirectly connected
with the subject. We may add that a very
useful map, lithographed by Penman & Galbraith,
aud showing all the mines in the colony, from
the Talisker in tbe South to the Yudanamutana
in the north, is prefixed to the work. The litho
grapher has, however, made or been led into a
mistake in placing a square mark against various
places which he thus indicated as townships,
inasmuch as many of the places so marked are
not townships at all, but simple sheep stations.
This, however, will mislead no one here, and it
cannot anywhere affect the value of the book as
a useful companion on mining matters. As such
it is deserving of patronage, and we heartily
commend it to our readers.
We understand that Sir Dominick Daly and Mr.
Hargraves (the New South Wales gold discoverer)
in company with the Chief Secretary, and Mr Ben-
tham Neales, M.P., and attended by the Aide-de-
Camp, went to Echunga on Monday for the purpose
of inspecting the gold-fields in that locality. We
trust Mr. Hargraves'e great practical knowledge of
" gold countries" will prove serviceable to South
Australia, and entitle him to claim the reward for
tbe discovery of a workable and paying gold-field.
With reference to the Karilla Mine, the following
extract from Captain Dable'e report, dated March 17,
has been forwarded Jo our office:—"This morning I
sent you a telegraph message to inform you that the
lode was very much improved since my last com-
munication, and I am glad to say that it is still

looking very well. This morning we raised to the
surface about a ton of rich yellow ore, the proceeds
of the previous night's work, and to-morrow morning
we shall raise about the same quantity, and our lode
is promising to become a very rich one."
We have received the following extract from. Capt.
Deeble's letter, dated Kurilla Mines, March 19,
1863:—"lam pleased to inform yon that the lode is
still improving; in fact, we have a very good lode;
it will yield from three to four tons of from 18 to 20
per cent. ore to the fathom now, and it appears to
be still improving. I am anxious to hear result of
the meeting, as we should be putting on two pairs at
the 25 and one at the 15 fathom level at once, and
soon commence dressing the ore. The engine is still
working well."
One of the last Visiting Directors of the Talisker
mine, just returned, states that Mufford's lode yielded
last month 10 tons first-class ore, die work of two
men. Mufford's winze is now being sunk by four
men, and is down 10 fathoms, yielding four tons per
fathom. The stopes in air shaft are worth £25 per
fathom. Robinson's winze, in crosscut, is down four
fathoms two feet, and worth £20 per fathom. Level
from upper crosscut is being driven by four men, and
is expected to intersect the lode in about two fathoms
from present drivage, when a valuable course of ore
is reasonably anticipated. In the new discovery the
shaft is down nine fathoms four feet on the course of
a well defined and splendid lode. The future of this
portion of the mine is most promising. The returns
of first-class ore for January and February are 70
tons, of which 26½ tons arrived at the Port, and were
transhipped to Melbourne for reshipment to
England, from the scarcity of direct freight. Over
50 tons remain ready for shipment. Some 80 or 100
tons will be ready for next shipment. By the end of
the present month the machinery md crushers will be
at work ; after which from 70 to 80 tons per mouth
can be easily prepared for market. Upon the whole
the prospects of the mine are most gratifying, and
the shipments will be accelerated by the engagement
of a vessel by the original discoverers of the mine,
for the special purpose of shipping ore to the Port.
This vessel (the Endeavour) is off now for her first
cargo.
Tho motions of Mr. Neales to offer rewards of
£3,000 each for the discovery of merchantable fields
of coal and gold were carried on Wednesday without
opposition. The Government will, if they carry out
the suggestion of the mover, take the almost steps to
give publicity to the fact of the rewards being offered.
This will doubtless lead many to make a search, and
we hope their efforts will be successful.

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